Cllr Philip Martin (pictured) who is Chairman of the Council, has stepped down from the local Conservatives association and is no longer a Conservative. This also means he is no longer a Conservative Councillor, but an independent – (Not a Wimble Independent)
This now means, there are ten conservatives, three Folkestone & Hythe Independents and two UKIPPERS making fifteen. And there are exactly the same number of opposition Cllrs
In any meeting of the full council, if votes are tied it is the Chairman who has the casting vote as set out in Part 4 of Council’s Constitution
Cllr Philip Martin was first elected as a Cllr in 2007 for the Folkestone Harvey Central with 487 votes. From 2011 onwards he has represented the North Downs East ward (pictured).
The next full Council meeting is on the 23 February. This is when Cllrs will vote on the budget, and the setting of the Council Tax. Let’s hope and pray Cllr P Martin (Ind) joins the opposition in voting down the proposed budget and Council Tax rise. You, the good people of the district do not need to have the highest council tax of any Council in Kent for the twentieth year in a row.
The Shepway Vox Team
Dissent is NOT a Crime
